Today’s Podcast
Today’s Devotional
Today’s background scripture comes from Acts 2
Pentecost had come and gone countless times for the Hebrews through the centuries. People came from everywhere to Jerusalem to celebrate Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost. The day commemorates the giving of My Law to Moses on Mount Sinai. But after My Son returned to heaven, My Spirit came as He promised. What better day than Pentecost for Him to settle upon the hearts of men and women ready to receive Him fully?
Some special things happened that day that many concentrate on when talking about Pentecost, the sound of rushing wind, the flames of fire on each person in the room, the languages spoken and heard by each person in the crowd. Certainly, those things should not be forgotten. They were important in letting both those present and future generations know something different, wonderful, and miraculous happened when My Spirit came to inhabit hearts. But the audible and visible signs of the day were not what made Pentecost special to Me.
What made Pentecost special were the changed lives seen by everyone around them. Luke recorded some of those changes in later verses of the second chapter of Acts, often overlooked because of the spectacular events in the opening verses. But I want you to think about the real change and what I find most important.
Luke describes an intense sense of togetherness among all who believed. Did you get that? No fighting each other, no gossip among that group, no back-biting or slander. They had an intense sense of togetherness. That’s My Church! They were generous with their material goods helping not only their fellow believers, but others in the city in need. They were unified in worship in the temple – day after day! They enjoyed each other’s company and shared meals together, opened their homes to each other, shared each others burdens, joys, and sorrows. Luke describes My newly filled people with glad and generous hearts enjoying the goodwill of all the people of the city.
Why did they enjoy the goodwill of the others? Because they were genuine in their generosity, genuine in their compassion, genuine in their love. How can they exhibit those characteristics in an occupied city whose leaders a few weeks early killed their Savior? Because My Son lives…forever! And My Spirit, His Spirt, We, now lived in them. We can live in you, too. If you let Us. You can experience the same genuine joy they did on that Pentecost day Luke describes in his letter to Theophilus describing the acts of the apostles. As promised to Joel, My Spirit is poured out for the asking. But like any gift, He must be accepted into your life. Do it today.
Today’s Scripture
Today’s Bible reading plans include:
Ready – Acts 2:1-21; 43-47
Set – Exodus 15; Acts 2
Go! – Exodus 14-16; Acts 2
Acts 2:1-21; 43-47
1When the holy day of Pentecost came 50 days after Passover, they were gathered together in one place.2 Picture yourself among the disciples:
A sound roars from the sky without warning, the roar of a violent wind, and the whole house where you are gathered reverberates with the sound. 3 Then a flame appears, dividing into smaller flames and spreading from one person to the next. 4 All the people present are filled with the Holy Spirit and begin speaking in languages they’ve never spoken, as the Spirit empowers them.
5 Because of the holy festival, there are devout Jews staying as pilgrims in Jerusalem from every nation under the sun. 6 They hear the sound, and a crowd gathers. They are amazed because each of them can hear the group speaking in their native languages. 7 They are shocked and amazed by this.
Pilgrims: Just a minute. Aren’t all of these people Galileans? 8 How in the world do we all hear our native languages being spoken? 9 Look—there are Parthians here, and Medes, Elamites, Mesopotamians, and Judeans, residents of Cappadocia, Pontus, and Asia, 10 Phrygians and Pamphylians, Egyptians and Libyans from Cyrene, Romans including both Jews by birth and converts, 11 Cretans, and Arabs. We’re each, in our own languages, hearing these people talk about God’s powerful deeds.
12 Their amazement becomes confusion as they wonder,
Pilgrims: What does this mean?
Skeptics: 13 It doesn’t mean anything. They’re all drunk on some fresh wine!
14 As the twelve stood together, Peter shouted to the crowd,
Peter: Men of Judea and all who are staying here in Jerusalem, listen. I want you to understand: 15 these people aren’t drunk as you may think. Look, it’s only nine o’clock in the morning! 16 No, this isn’t drunkenness; this is the fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel. 17 Hear what God says!
In the last days,
I will offer My Spirit to humanity as a libation.
Your children will boldly speak the word of the Lord.
Young warriors will see visions,
and your elders will dream dreams.
18 Yes, in those days I shall offer My Spirit to all servants,
both male and female, and they will boldly speak My word.
19 And in the heaven above and on the earth below,
I shall give signs of impending judgment: blood, fire, and clouds of smoke.
20 The sun will become a void of darkness,
and the moon will become blood.
Then the great and dreadful day of the Lord will arrive,
21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be liberated into God’s freedom and peace.43 Everyone felt a sense of awe because the apostles were doing many signs and wonders among them. 44 There was an intense sense of togetherness among all who believed; they shared all their material possessions in trust. 45 They sold any possessions and goods that did not benefit the community and used the money to help everyone in need. 46 They were unified as they worshiped at the temple day after day. In homes, they broke bread and shared meals with glad and generous hearts. 47 The new disciples praised God, and they enjoyed the goodwill of all the people of the city. Day after day the Lord added to their number everyone who was experiencing liberation.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
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